Michael Block, golf instructor, hits hole-in-one at PGA Championship

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Michael Block, a 46-year-old golf instructor for Southern California, stood in disbelief surrounded by an energetic crowd at the 15th hole at Oak Hill Country Club.

The club pro hit a hole-in-one at the 151-yard par three as he was paired with Northern Irish golf superstar Rory Mcllroy on Sunday.

Block at first seemed in doubt as the crowd erupted. He turned to Mcllroy and their caddies and said “It didn’t go in did it?” One of the caddies responded: “It went straight into the hole.” Mcllroy, whose wife is from Rochester, smiled and congratulated Block as they walked to the green.

In an emotional interview after the tournament, Block said that was his first-ever hole-in-one at a tournament. He finished tied for 15th place after back-to-back pars on holes 17 and 18, which is good enough to qualify him for next year’s PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

Block finished at one over par during the four days of competition in Rochester, scoring an eagle off the hole-in-one and three bogeys on Sunday. You can see the final leaderboard for the PGA Championship here.

You can see a video of the hole-in-one here.